LOCAL AND GENERAL

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 63, Issue 4490, 15 October 1941, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

At a meeting of the Waitomo Countv Council it was decided to get in touch with the Kawhia County Council and make a joint agreement with that bodv regarding the proposed cartage of timber over the Waitomo Caves Lemon Point Main Highway.

An increase in the number of kiwis at the Kapiti Island bird sanctuary is reported by the caretaker (Mr A. S. Wilkinson). He states that the birds are now well distributed over the whole sanctuary. Their feathers caught up in the hooked grass, have been seen in most parts of the island. The report adds that the natural spread of the forest trees has provided these bush dwellers with sufficient cover.

The question of gorse clearance was brought up by Cr C. D. Hobern at the last meeting of the Waitomo County Council. The chairmnn (Cr W. Lee' said that with labour problems as they were it was out of the question to ask property owners to clear 'orse—at present, at any rate. He continued, howeveg, (by .stating that instructions should be issued for the engineer to pay attention to the question of cutting gorse on the road-sides. Cr Lee also suggested that farmers should be asked to cooperate in this direction and thus help to obviate what promised to be a serious problem in future years. A resolution to this effect was carried.

A motorist in particular and some people in Sloane Street in general had a great surprise on Monday afternoon. A well-known district settler parked his car at Rickit’s and went about his business. He had hardly departed, when the car decided to have “a little jaunt” on its own. Having been left in gear, it backed down Sloane Street as if in charge of one who had indulged too freely in the liquor that inebriates and actually started to mount the rise in Herbert Street before ceasing its pranks. The owner, appraised of the fact, returned to the scene quickly and took good care that the car was rendered immobile after he had parked it the second time.

At the monthly meeting of the Waitomo County Council the chairman (Cr W. Lee) reported that he had attended* a conference of county councils at Te Awamutu regarding Land Development blocks. The meeting had, he said, shown strong opposition against the present policy of the Government in using roads and no* contributing anything towards their upkeep. On the motion of Cr Lee, seconded b-' Cr Boddie, the Council resolved: “ That we fall into line with the Waipa, Raglan, and Otorohanga Counties in making representations to the Counties’ Association and to the member for the district that money should be granted by the Government in lieu of rates on Land Development properties.”

Hospital problems in the Waikato wsre discussed at a conference between the Director-General of Health (Dr M. H. Watt\and members of the Waikato Hospital Board at Hamilton on Monday. Dr Watt expressed appreciation of the work the Board had done in car in for sick and wounded soldiers. He said the Government had provided 730 beds at the four main centres and at Hanmer Springs and Rotorua for returned sick and wound ed soldiers. As far as Hamilton was concerned, he felt that considerable room would be provided as soon as the infectious diseases ward, now under way, and the protected infirmary were built. Dr Watt promised to facilitate in every way possible the completion of the formalities in connection with the infirmary.